Mortal Kombat X Issue 1
Mortal Kombat X Issue 1, is the first released issue of the ongoing tie-in comic series released by DC Comics in collaboration with NetherRealm Studios. Following the style of the previous tie-in comic for a NetherRealm game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, the ''Mortal Kombat X'' Comic series is a prequel to the storyline of the main game as well as a sequel series to Mortal Kombat (2011)'s storymode. Recap Chapter One: Blood Ties Many years ago in the Himalayan wilderness, the telekinetic ronin Kenshi flees from a large group of Red Dragon soldiers led by Hsu Hao while carrying a boy named Takeda. When Kenshi is wounded by an arrow through his shin, he orders Takeda to run while making a last stand against Hsu Hao, who declares that Daegon has ordered his death for betraying the Red Dragon. Takeda runs but is caught by a Red Dragon soldier Kenshi scarred in the past. As the soldier threatens Takeda, he is suddenly killed when a spear tipped chain bursts through his throat. Meanwhile, Hsu Hao has beaten an exhausted Kenshi into submission and mocks the fallen swordsman for fleeing and hiding, when Kenshi clarifies he is 'trespassing' not hiding. A surprised Hsu Hao has his cybernetic heart pierced by the spear and the Red Dragon commander is killed by Scorpion when the ninja punches through Hsu Hao's face with a hellfire covered fist. Scorpion addresses the remaining Red Dragons and orders them to leave for trespassing on Shirai Ryu territory. Though the Red Dragons try to threaten Scorpion with their numbers, the Shirai Ryu suddenly reveal their presence behind their grandmaster, and greatly outnumber the Red Dragons. With no other choice save death, the Red Dragon flee. At the Shirai Ryu temple, Scorpion and Kenshi discuss the restoration of Scorpion's clan, with Hanzo revealing he took in numerous survivors from the Netherrealm War. When Scorpion questions Takeda's identity, Kenshi reveals the boy is his son before explaining his botched mission to infiltrate the Red Dragons. While in hiding after his cover was blown, Kenshi learned from Sonya Blade that the Red Dragons had sent a message to her threatening Takeda's life. After realizing the information added up and Takeda was his son, Kenshi headed for Thailand where the boy and his mother, Suchin, were. When the Red Dragon arrived before Kenshi, Suchin killed them all by herself, but was killed by the last one, though she had managed to hide Takeda in the next village. Kenshi found him and fled for shelter in Scorpion's territory. Scorpion is intrigued by Takeda's story, calling him another survivor like himself. Later that night, Takeda and Kenshi talk as the swordsman puts the boy to bed, with Takeda realizing Scorpion is a Wraith from Hell, though Kenshi claims Hanzo has conquered his inner demon long ago. Takeda makes it clear he doesn't trust Scorpion or Kenshi before asking his father is his mother is ever coming back. Kenshi answers she is not. As Takeda sleeps, Kenshi and Scorpion discuss Kenshi's next move and Kenshi declares he's going to finish what he started and find Daegon and learn how he knew of Suchin and Takeda. When Scorpion asks about Takeda, Kenshi says that Takeda would seek revenge if he knew his mother's death was anything but an accident. Scorpion tells Kenshi that lying to Takeda won't earn his trust but Kenshi only wants to protect him, reminding Scorpion that he of all people knows what happens when someone devotes themselves to vengeance without discipline. The next morning, Kenshi has left the Shirai Ryu temple and Takeda attempts to flee as well but Scorpion catches him, telling Takeda that he is a survivor like himself, and that the Shirai Ryu do not run, but fight, revealing his intentions to begin training Takeda. At a Red Dragon Temple in China, Sub-Zero massacres a group of Red Dragons while looking for something when he is attacked by Kano, who wields the knife Sub-Zero was searching for. Kano scars Sub-Zero's face with the knife, which Sub-Zero calls cursed and Kano tells the cryomancer that Raiden lied to him and it is time he learned the truth of the curse of the Kamidogu. Chapter Two: Scorpion's Apprentice: Part One Years ago, Scorpion oversees a fight between Takeda and Shirai Ryu Forest Fox. Fox easily dominates Takeda and beats him with little effort before Scorpion declares him the winner. Fox tells Takeda not to worry and that everyone loses their first fight while promising to help him set his broken nose 'after'. When Takeda asks after what, Scorpion declares, "Round two." Years later, a teenage Takeda and Fox face each other again in a snowy field, and the much more skilled Takeda holds his own against Fox, boasting superior speed and even breaking Fox's nose with a headbutt when Fox gets him in a chokehold. Scorpion again declares Fox the winner and Fox congratulates Takeda for getting him back after so long. When Scorpion questions Takeda's tactics in the match before chiding his apprentice for playing with Fox instead of fighting and threatens to throw him into the wilderness. Fox comes to Takeda's defense, claiming the younger warrior could survive on his own, and Scorpion then declares Fox as Takeda's protector. Fox agrees but becomes confused when a strange voice begins speaking to him inside his head, though he quickly dismisses it. Scorpion then reveals that he received an unwelcome visit from Raiden that very day. Earlier, Raiden appeared before Scorpion within the Shirai Ryu temple. Raiden apologizes to Scorpion for intruding before noting he is protecting the dagger he entrusted him well. When Scorpion asks why he has come, Raiden reveals that the Netherrealm invasion weakened the barriers protecting Earthrealm and a demonic spirit broke through before Raiden could repair the damage. Raiden reveals he is warning the few remaining Earthrealm warriors and warns Scorpion to be on his guard before leaving. Scorpion tells Takeda to not dance around it and to kill it before it kills him. As Scorpion walks away, Takeda believes he is just trying to scare him but Fox tells him it is very real. Later that night, Fox is further tormented by the voice before it finally possesses him and forces him to steal the Kamidogu dagger and mutilate himself with it. Takeda is roused awake by the possessed Fox, who has carved off his own face, and Fox reveals he has slaughtered the Shirai Ryu in their sleep and reveals his intentions to finish Scorpion and Takeda next. Chapter Three: Scorpion's Apprentice: Part Two Fox leads Takeda to where he has Hanzo bound and hanging upside down by his own spear and chain, explaining that he's poisoned Scorpion with one of his own mixtures, forcing him to relive his worst moments. Fox tells Takeda of Scorpion's past struggles with controlling the vengeful spirit inside him and hands Takeda a sword, bidding the younger fighter to spare Scorpion from what he'll become from enduring another loss. Hanzo meanwhile, hallucinates of his past during the Lin Kuei's massacre of the Shirai Ryu. Though he fights through the Lin Kuei with ease, Hanzo falls to his knees in grief when he happens upon the frozen bodies of his wife Kana holding their infant son Jubei. Sub-Zero arrives and smashes the ice holding their corpses, mockingly asking Hanzo how he feel losing everything. Realizing what is before him is not Sub-Zero, Hanzo burns the illusion away with hellfire, his face melting away to reveal Scorpion's flaming skull. Back in reality, Takeda declares that he won't kill his master and the possessed Fox mocks him, calling him a runner and not a fighter. Fox turns his back on Takeda, allowing Takeda to grab a nearby whip from a wall of mounted weapons and strike Fox, getting in a kick as well before Fox unleashes a beam of red power that sends Takeda flying back. Hanzo awakens from his delirium and escapes his bounds, consumed in hellfire. Scorpion snatches the possessed Fox by his neck and unleashes a breath of hellfire upon him, snatching the Kamidogu dagger from his hand as well to stab him in the heart with. Though badly burned, the demon possessing Fox's body is hardly fazed and knocks Scorpion back with another beam of red light, thanking him and proclaiming he grows stronger with every drop of blood that is spilled. The demonic force mocks Scorpion for trusting Raiden and starts to say something about the daggers having a connection to Quan Chi when Fox's throat is pierced by a sword and his head is cleaved in half by Takeda, finally killing the possessed Shirai Ryu. Hanzo takes the dagger from Fox's corpse and silently comforts the shocked Takeda. Later, the two burn the dead Shirai Ryu and set off, Scorpion determined to avenge his fallen clan once again, this time seeking Raiden, seeing the thunder god responsible for the deaths for entrusting the cursed dagger to Hanzo. At Raiden's Sky Temple, the god of thunder converses with Fujin, discussing the demonic being that continues to elude Raiden's vision. Fujin advises Raiden against his current action, but the thunder god refuses to listen and produces a second Kamidogu dagger, this one the Kamidogu of Order. Cutting his forearm to offer the dagger blood, Raiden is besieged of images of the Kombatants across the realms and proclaims in horror that he is too late. "It has begun!" Characters Featured In Order of Appearance: *Kenshi (First Appearance) *Takeda Takahashi (First Appearance) *Hsu Hao (First Appearance, Death) *Red Dragon (First Appearance) *Scorpion (First Appearance) *Shirai Ryu (Restoration, Destruction) *Suchin (First Appearance, Death) *Sub-Zero (First Appearance) *Kano (First Appearance) *Forrest Fox (First Appearance, Death) *Raiden (First Appearance) *Sonya Blade (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Johnny Cage (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Lin Kuei (First Appearance, Flashback, Illusion, and Main Story) *Kana Hasashi (First Appearance, Flashback and Illusion Only, Death) *Jubei Hasashi (First Appearance, Flashback and Illusion Only, Death) *Elder Sub-Zero (First Appearance, Flashback and Illusion Only) *Fujin (First Appearance) *Cassie Cage (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Frost (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Kotal Kahn (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Ferra & Torr (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Reptile (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Reiko (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Mileena (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Jax Briggs (First Appearance, Vision Only) *Jacqui Briggs (First Appearance, Vision Only) Mentioned *Daegon *Mavado *Quan Chi Trivia *The comic series reintroduces the Kamidogu from Mortal Kombat: Deception to the series new timeline. However, instead of appearing as floating emblems as they were portrayed before, they're re-introduced as daggers. *A batarang can be seen mounted on the wall of weapons in the panel before Raiden teleports in front of Scorpion. Category:Mortal Kombat X Category:Mortal Kombat X Comic Series Category:Comics